Abstract: Embodiments of tools for measuring a vertical height are provided herein. In some embodiments, a tool for measuring a vertical height includes: a first elongate member having a measurement tape; a handle coupled to the first elongate member; and a second elongate member slidingly coupled to the first elongate member, wherein the second elongate member includes a measurement window configured to facilitate reading of the measurement tape to indicate a length of the tool between an upper end of the first elongate member and a lower end of the second elongate member, wherein the handle is disposed between the measurement window and the lower end of the second elongate member when the tool is in a retracted position and configured to move the first elongate member with respect to the second elongate member.

Abstract: According to embodiments described herein, a backup server maintains backup data for a set of data, which includes data for a first block and a second block. Backup data for the first and second block include backup data for a plurality of versions of the first and second block. A distinct watermark is stored for each version of the first block and each version of the second block. In response to a request to perform a restoration operation on the set of data, a particular version of the first block and a particular version of the second block are selected to use in the restoration operation by comparing a restoration target with the watermarks of the version of the first block and second block. The selected version of the first block has a different watermark than the selected version of the second block.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for centralized tape management are provided for databases. A centralized availability machine or disk and tape backup server maintains working backup data for a plurality of database management systems (DBMSs) based on receiving, from each of the plurality of DBMSs, differential incremental updates. The updates may be at the database block level, with an index maintained to identify different versions of the blocks for snapshot recovery. The availability machine then determines a utilization schedule for distributing the working backup data to a plurality of tapes using a plurality of tape drives, and stores the working backup data as archived backup data on the plurality of tapes according to the utilization schedule. By placing each DBMS within a protection policy that indicates criteria to meet business goals with respect to tape backups, the utilization schedule can automatically schedule tape backup jobs with optimized hardware resource assignments.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for low loss database backup and recovery. The method commences by transmitting, by a first server to a third server, a copy of a database snapshot backup, the transmitting commencing at a first time. Then capturing, by the first server, a stream of database redo data, the capturing commencing before or upon transmitting the database snapshot backup, and continuing until a third time. The stream of database redo data is received by an intermediate server after which the intermediate server transmits the stream of database redo data to the third server. Now, the third server has the database snapshot backups and the database redo data. The third server can send to a fourth server all or portion of the database redo data to be applied to the copy of the database snapshot backup restored there to create a restored database.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for centralized tape management are provided for databases. A centralized availability machine or disk and tape backup server maintains working backup data for a plurality of database management systems (DBMSs) based on receiving, from each of the plurality of DBMSs, differential incremental updates. The updates may be at the database block level, with an index maintained to identify different versions of the blocks for snapshot recovery. The availability machine then determines a utilization schedule for distributing the working backup data to a plurality of tapes using a plurality of tape drives, and stores the working backup data as archived backup data on the plurality of tapes according to the utilization schedule. By placing each DBMS within a protection policy that indicates criteria to meet business goals with respect to tape backups, the utilization schedule can automatically schedule tape backup jobs with optimized hardware resource assignments.

Abstract: According to embodiments described herein, a backup server maintains backup data for a set of data, which includes data for a first block and a second block. Backup data for the first and second block include backup data for a plurality of versions of the first and second block. A distinct watermark is stored for each version of the first block and each version of the second block. In response to a request to perform a restoration operation on the set of data, a particular version of the first block and a particular version of the second block are selected to use in the restoration operation by comparing a restoration target with the watermarks of the version of the first block and second block. The selected version of the first block has a different watermark than the selected version of the second block.

Abstract: Techniques for cooperative storage management are described. According to embodiments described herein, a storage server stores backup data for a plurality of client systems, including a first client system and one or more other client systems. The storage server receives a request from the first client system to store new backup data. In response to the request from the first client system, the storage server determines which backup data to delete to make space for the new backup data based, at least in part, on retention duration goals associated with the one or more other client systems. The retention duration goals indicate that the client desires to be able to recover data at least as old as a specified age. The storage server may also determine which backup data to delete based, at least in part, on respective minimum space parameter values for the other client systems.

Abstract: According to embodiments described herein, a backup server maintains backup data for a set of data, which includes data for a first block and a second block. Backup data for the first and second block include backup data for a plurality of versions of the first and second block. A distinct watermark is stored for each version of the first block and each version of the second block. In response to a request to perform a restoration operation on the set of data, a particular version of the first block and a particular version of the second block are selected to use in the restoration operation by comparing a restoration target with the watermarks of the version of the first block and second block. The selected version of the first block has a different watermark than the selected version of the second block.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for low loss database backup and recovery. The method commences by transmitting, by a first server to a third server, a copy of a database snapshot backup, the transmitting commencing at a first time. Then capturing, by the first server, a stream of database redo data, the capturing commencing before or upon transmitting the database snapshot backup, and continuing until a third time. The stream of database redo data is received by an intermediate server after which the intermediate server transmits the stream of database redo data to the third server. Now, the third server has the database snapshot backups and the database redo data. The third server can send to a fourth server all or portion of the database redo data to be applied to the copy of the database snapshot backup restored there to create a restored database.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques for cooperative storage management are described. According to embodiments described herein, a storage server stores backup data for a plurality of client systems, including a first client system and one or more other client systems. The storage server receives a request from the first client system to store new backup data. In response to the request from the first client system, the storage server determines which backup data to delete to make space for the new backup data based, at least in part, on retention duration goals associated with the one or more other client systems. The retention duration goals indicate that the client desires to be able to recover data at least as old as a specified age. The storage server may also determine which backup data to delete based, at least in part, on respective minimum space parameter values for the other client systems.

Abstract: According to embodiments described herein, a backup server maintains backup data for a set of data, which includes data for a first block and a second block. Backup data for the first and second block include backup data for a plurality of versions of the first and second block. A distinct watermark is stored for each version of the first block and each version of the second block. In response to a request to perform a restoration operation on the set of data, a particular version of the first block and a particular version of the second block are selected to use in the restoration operation by comparing a restoration target with the watermarks of the version of the first block and second block. The selected version of the first block has a different watermark than the selected version of the second block.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.